Line casting machine



July 2, i946. RU B 2,206,754

LINE CASTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 6, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS July 2, 1940. c. J. RUBB LINE CASTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Juiy i940 PATENT OFFICE 2,206,754 a g H LINE GASTINGIMAGHINE Charles J. Riubb, Flushing, N. Y.

Application February 6, 1940, serial No. 317,503

8 claims. (Cl. 199-42).

My invention relates to improvements in typecasting machines and more particularly to means for automatically stopping said machine after a definite interval or operation.

One object of my invention is to provide means which will automatically stop a typecasting machine, if said machine remains idle for a predetermined length of time, or will stop a typecasting machine after the completion of a certain operation or movement of said machine. The

main object is not only saving wear and tear on the machine and motor, but the saving in current of bothmotorand the light. over the key board.

' l5 The present means may be applied to two dif ferent types of machines, that is, the Linotype or Intertype type of machine or any other linecasting and composing machines which utilize circulating matrices, and the Ludlow machine in the machine, whereafter the slug or line is automatically cast. I

In large composing rooms, especially for newspapers and magazines where many Linotype or any part in this. The operator starts his machine as usual by pressing a switch; after that, as long 3 5 as he continues to setslugs, my device keeps the machine running. a

Another object of my invention is to provide simple means which will automatically stop a composing machine if the time between the cast- 4 mg of successive lines is greater than a certain predetermined time.

In the present type of Ludlow machine, the

operator sets the matrix in a form and inserts thesame into the machine. He then steps on a Z footswitch starting the motor and next presses the tripping lever which starts the linecasting operation. During the entire operation, the operatormust keep his foot on the footswitch, thus preventing him from doing anything else.

My invention, on the Ludlow machine, does away with the turning on of a switch or having to step on a footswitch before the operator presses the tripping lever to makea line. All the operator does now, is press the trippinglever fora second or two and he can leave the machine to which the matrix is set by handand inserted into do whatever else he has to do. After the machine has cast the line, the motor will automatically stop. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide means of the character above set forth which may be ;.conveniently and simply attached to the standard forms of typecastingmachines without interfering with the operation thereof.

Other objects of'my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof, it being understoodthat the above statement of the objects of my invention is intended to generally explain the same without limiting it in any manner. a

a Fig. 1 is a side view of the rear of an Intertype machine showing my device attached thereto.

Fig. 2is a fragmentary front view of the top part of the resetting shaft. i

Fig. 3 is a frontview of the control switchboard. i

' Fig. 4 is a partial side view of aLudlow machine showing one of the switches of my device andwthe control cam therefor;

, Fig. 5 is apartial front view of aLudlow machine, showing the tripping lever, control cam, and two switches of my device.

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram of the switch circuitin the Intertype machine.

Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of the switch circuit in the Ludlow machine. Referring to the drawings, and more particu: larly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown my device attached to an Intertypemachine. A time switch T is secured to bar I by. means of bolts 2 passing throughthe casing .3 of time switch T and the vertical arm of bar I. Bar I in turn is bolted by means of bolts 4 to any rigidpart of the machine and in sucha position that the switch or bar in no way interferes with any moving parts or the operation of the machine.

The parts ofthe Intertype machine which are shown in the drawings, and are well known and whose functions require no explanation are first elevator cam 5, roller 6 rotationally mounted by means of pin 7 to leverB, saidroller contacting the cam surface of cam 5, and parts of the sec- 1 and elevator mechanism consisting of shafts,

lever l0, arms ll andl2 and bearing arm [3. However, it is important to note that arm l2 oscillates clockwiseand counterclockwise through asmall are, said oscillation commencing at the completion of eachcasting operation and at the start of the liftingof the matrices to the matrix distributor; 1

The time switch consists of a mercury contact tially-V-shaped notch l1, said notch having its 7 lower arm longer than its upper arm. The open- 7,

ing and closing of the mercury contact I4 is controlled by the plunger device P and timing mechanism 22. g

The plunger P comprises a vertical shaft 23 having a series of transverse teeth 25 out along the length of said shaft. Depending from the bottom of shaft 23 is weight 24, said weight having a concave depression formed in its bottom face and a felt washer positioned on its top face. The shaft 23 is slidably mounted through the timing mechanism: 22, said timing mechanism being well-known and old inthe art, and being of the escapement or any other known type, and allowing the said shaft to; freely pass upwardly but retarding its downward motion. The time which it takes the plunger to reach its lowest position from its topmost positiondepends on. the length of theshaft 23 and the retarding actionof the timing mechanism 22. Secured to the top of shaft23 is. a horizontal arm 26, said horizontal arm being adapted to engage the V-shaped slot H of the arm I6. Leads 21'! lead from the electrodes of the mercury contact toterminals 28 secured to the side wall of the casing 3, and leading from I said terminals through BX cable 30 are conductors 29,;said BX cable being coupled to the bottom wall of the casing 3 by means of coupling 3|. Plunger P is reset to its topmost position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 by arm I2 when arm |2 swings clockwise, which event occurs when the matrix is lifted from the casting mechanism to the distributor. Secured to the outer end. of arm i2 is a knob 32, which knob engages the concave surface 21 of the weight 24. Fig. 3 is a front view of the switchboard showing three switches 33, 34 and 35, switch 35 being merely a signal switch and being unrelated to the present invention. Switch 34 (referring also. to Fig. 6) is a main switch which connects the entire circuit to a source of current. Switch 33 is a time switch of any known kind which, when closed, will automatically open in about three minutes, thus giving the operator time to get set.

This device operates as. follows: The operator closes switch and then closes switch 33, thus starting the motor M and giving him three minutes within which to complete the first line. If he does not complete a line within the initial three minutes, switch 33 will automatically open and since time switch T has not beenbrought into operation the motor M will stop. On the other hand, if he completes a line within the first three minutes, the elevator will come into operation and arm l2 will rotate to its topmost position and thus close the mercury contact l4. The time within which he must complete his next line depends upon the lengthof time it takes plunger P to reach its lowest position thus tripping arm I6 and opening contact l4. As already stated, the time within which-the mercury contact remains closed may be regulated and should be between a minute and a minute and a 1 f= The present means may also be applied to a Ludlow machine and, although the same circuit be used, there is no time switch involved.

Referring to Fig. 4, 48 designates a side of a Ludlow type machine and 4| the drive shaft of said machine. Rotationally rigid with said drive shaft is the disk cam member 39 having a depression 40 formed in its peripheral face. Secured to the side of said machine and situated above said cam disk 39 is a switch 36, said switch being operated by means of a lever 31 having a roller 38 pivotallymounted at the end of said lever 31 by means of a pin 49. The switch 36 is in closed position when lever 31 is in the position designated by the dotted lines and said switch is in. open position when the lever is at its lowermost point. v

Referring now to Fig. 5, is the front of a Ludiow type machine having the tripping lever 42 pivotally mounted by means of pin 43 to the upper part of said front 5| and situated below said lever is a locking device 44. When: tripping lever 42 is rotated slightly in a clockwise direction, the clutch between the drive shaft 4| and the electric motor operating said Ludlow machine is engaged. Located at the side of front member 5| and directly below tripping lever 42 is switch 45 having a knob or peg 46 projecting from the top thereof and falling directly beneath one arm of the tripping lever. When. the peg is in its topmost position, switch 45 is open and when 45 is in the position indicated by the dotted line 46' the switch 45 is in closed contact. Leading from the bottom of switch 45 to an ordinary throw switch 41 is the BX cable 52.

Referring now to Fig. 7 which is a circuit diagram of the Ludlow machine, 36, 45 and 41 repre-' sent the same switches as. were above set forth.

The Ludlow machine just described operates as follows: The operator sets his matrix and inserts it into the machine and after having closed switch 41 he then presses tripping-lever 42, to the position shown by the dotted. line 42'. This performs two things: It causes the clutch between the drive shaft 4| and the motor to be engaged and closes switch 45,-thus starting up such motor. When shaft 4| rotates, cam 39 rotates therewith thus bringing depression 40 from the positionshown to the position shown in dotted line 40, thus causing lever 3'! to rotate about to its topmost position and closing switch 36. The operator momentarily depresses the tripping lever 42 only to start the casting operation and thereafter releases the said lever 42 thus causing switch 45 to return to its normally open position. The complete casting of the line or slug requires merely one rotation. of shaft 4| and, therefore, when the cam 39 has rotated 360 degrees from its initial position, roller 38 will fall back into the depression 40, thus opening switch 36 and thus stopping themotor. In order to start this operation again, all the operator need do is press tripping" device 42.

T have illustrated my device as used on an Intertype and Ludlow type of machine but it isquite obvious that it may be applied to any similar type of machine such as Linotype machines, etc. I

I have shown preferred embodiments of my some-,offmy switches placed in certainpositions 55 and controlled by certain operations or move ments of parts of the machine but it is obvious that these switches may be situated at other points where they will not interfere with the operation of the machine and may be controlled by any other permissible or applicable movement of other parts of the machine.

Iclaim:

1. In a Ludlow type of line casting machine having an electric motor as motivating means, a pair of parallel switches intermediate the source of current and said electric motor, one of said switches being controlled by the. tripping lever of said machine, the other switch being controlled by amoving part of the machine.

2. In a Ludlow type of line casting machine having an electric motor as motivating means, a pair of parallel switches intermediate the source of current and said electric motor, one of said switches being normally open and being adapted to being closed while the tripping lever of said machine is depressed, the other switch being manipulated by an arm extending from said switch, said arm being controlled by a cam, which cam is rotationally rigid with the drive shaft of said machine.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the arm manipulated switch is in open position only i when the free end of said arm is in contact with the low point of said cam, said low point being in contact with the free end of said arm only at the commencement and termination of the line casting operation.

t. In a machine of the circulating matrices type, having an electric motor as its motivating means, a pair of parallel switches intermediate the source of current and said motor, one of said switches being manually operated and the other switch being a time switch which time i switch is adapted to be reset byone of the moving parts of said machine, the timing mechanism of said time switch operating independentlyof the machine.

5. In a machine of the circulating matrices type having an electric motor as its motivating means, a pair of parallel switches intermediate the source of current and said motor, one of said switches being manually operated, the other i switch being a time switch having a resetting plunger, the timing mechanism of said time switch operating independently of the machine,

said time switch being so placed on the machine that the movement of one of the parts of said machine will depress said plunger.

6. In a machine of the circulating matrices type having anjelectric motor as motivating means, a pair of parallel switches intermediate the source of currlent and said motor, one of said switches being a manually operated time switch, the other switch being a time switch having a resetting plunger, said switch being so positioned on the machine that the plunger Weight lies in the path of an arm of the elevating lever of said machine whereby when said lever is brought into operation said arm will cause the plunger to be depressed, the timing mechanism of the plunger reset time switch operating independently of the machine.

'7. In a Ludlow type of line casting machine having an electric motor as motivating means, a pair of parallel switches intermediate the source of current and said motor, one of said switches being adapted to be manually operated, the other switch being adapted to be controlled by a moving part of said machine and being inclosed position during thecasting operation and in open position at the termination of said operation.

8. In a machine of the circulating matrices type, having an electric motor as its motivating means, a pairof parallel switches intermediate the source of current and said motor, one of said switches being manually operated and the other switch being a time switch, said time switch comprising a timing device and aresetting device, the timing device operating independently of the said machine, said resetting mechanism being operated by a moving part of the said machine.

CHARLES J. RUBB. 

